Looking for Men’s Clothes in New York City? Start on the Lower East Side.

At the turn of the 20th century, Manhattan’s Lower East Side was the most densely populated place in the world — a census from 1900 counted over 1,000 people per acre in the 10th ward, which included much of the present-day neighborhood. (Today, the L.E.S. averages 135 people per acre.) The area, often considered to begin south of Houston Street and stretch west from the East River to the Bowery, has since seen its tenements and factories replaced with restaurants and bars. In recent years, it’s also emerged as a shopping district to rival Manhattan’s SoHo or Madison Avenue — though with its largely independent boutiques, it’s undeniably more charming. A wave of openings on and around Orchard Street, in particular, have solidified the area as a strong destination for men’s wear. Here’s where to start:

Kartik Research, 61 Orchard Street

The designer Kartik Kumra established his label, Kartik Research, in 2021 in his hometown, New Delhi, where the brand opened its first shop in 2024. Since April, Kumra’s embroidered camp shirts, quilted jackets and shibori-dyed button-ups have been available here, at his first U.S. outpost. Kumra collaborated with the Mumbai gallery Aequo to source the space’s furniture, including the dressing room’s woven bamboo panels.

Le Père, 90 Orchard Street

The New York-based men’s wear label Le Père was founded by a collective of friends from the music and fashion industries in 2022 as a vehicle for artistic collaborations. Past collections have featured shirts printed with imagery by the photographer Duane Michals, the graphic designer Henock Sileshi and the artist Ema Gaspar. The brand opened a yellow-accented retail space on the corner of Orchard and Broome Streets in 2023, where it sells its striped soccer jerseys and knit pullover sweatshirts alongside cargo pants and layered shirting.

Colbo, 51 Orchard Street